{"id":94950,"date":"2025-10-22T20:01:25","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T20:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/94950\/"},"modified":"2025-10-22T20:01:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T20:01:25","slug":"the-surprising-science-behind-micro-runs-and-why-theyre-so-good-for-your-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/94950\/","title":{"rendered":"The surprising science behind ‘micro runs’ \u2013 and why they’re so good for your heart"},"content":{"rendered":"

In recent years, amidst the latest running<\/a> boom, it\u2019s become hard to scroll Instagram without seeing people \u2013 civilians and celebs alike \u2013 clocking a weekly mileage to rival that of Olympians. The \u2018Sunday long run\u2019 has become a social media mainstay and somewhere along the way, a sentiment seems to have emerged that if you didn\u2019t run at least 5k<\/a>, it doesn\u2019t count. <\/p>\n

Related StoryWhat’s the minimum you can run for your heart to benefit? <\/p>\n

However, that\u2019s certainly not the case \u2013 particularly when you\u2019re first starting out, says Professor Dan Augustine, a consultant cardiologist and medical director of Sports Cardiology UK<\/a>. \u2018Studies have shown that if you compare runners with non-runners, those who run as little as seven minutes a day have lower risk of death from cardiac causes,\u2019 he highlights. <\/p>\n

Regular short runs, he adds, \u2018can help with better blood pressure control, improved lipid (cholesterol) profile, and will also help psychologically to improve mood, sleep<\/a> and stress resilience.\u2019<\/p>\n

What to Read NextRelated StoryHow can micro runs help improve your VO2 max?<\/p>\n

Regular, so-called \u2018micro runs\u2019 \u2013 runs that are between five and 10 minutes long \u2013 can also improve your VO2 max<\/a>, highlights Professor Augustine. VO2 max, which refers to the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise, is a reliable marker of cardiorespiratory fitness, is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and is a key predictor of longevity. <\/p>\n

Related Story<\/p>\n

In other words, the higher your VO2 max, the more efficient your heart, lungs and muscles are are at delivering and using oxygen \u2013 the body\u2019s most efficient energy source. Even small improvements in this metric, then, can have a powerful impact on future health and longevity<\/a> \u2013 and micro runs can be an effective route to noticeable improvements. <\/p>\n

\u2018For those who are starting out, if they stick at it, say three to five 10-minute runs initially per week, they will see improvement in four to six weeks,\u2019 says Professor Augustine. \u2018The key is building a habit,\u2019 he adds, and then you can gradually increase your exercise volume to improve your VO2 max to even higher levels.<\/p>\n

Short and regular runs vs less frequent long runs \u2013 which is more effective?<\/p>\n

So, are you better off doing regular short runs rather than putting in a shift every so often for a longer session? \u2018Both have benefits but higher frequency and more regular runs have the advantage of affecting the metabolism<\/a>, blood pressure<\/a> and vasculature (blood vessel structure) more often rather than one longer run,\u2019 explains Professor Augustine. <\/p>\n

At the end of the day, when it comes to getting in your cardio<\/a>, something is always \u2018better than nothing and it\u2019s about building up a habit that you enjoy,\u2019 he says.<\/p>\n

Midlife women, including those who are experiencing (peri)menopause<\/a> may particularly benefit from implementing micro runs into their week, adds Professor Augustine. While \u2018there needs to be an individual approach depending on how the menopause<\/a> affects that individual\u2019, he explains, \u2018micro runs may be useful in those going through the menopause in a variety of ways, such as maintaining muscle and metabolism, and cardiovascular benefits such as blood pressure control.\u2019<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also the idea that smaller doses of running put the body under less stress due to the lower impact. \u2018Micro runs are probably gentler on joints<\/a> and energy levels, which may make it a better option for individuals during hormonal fluctuations,\u2019 says Professor Augustine. <\/p>\n

How fast should your micro runs be?<\/p>\n

To begin with, says Professor Augustine, forget about pace. \u2018If you are new to exercise, go slow and steady and build up in due course \u2013 it\u2019s fine to stay at a steady conversational pace when starting out.\u2019<\/p>\n

As time goes on, however, and you want to make your micro runs even more effective for heart health, Professor Augustine recommends starting to experiment with pace. After warming up with a brisk walk or light jog, and only when you\u2019re comfortable \u2013 perhaps after a few weeks \u2013 \u2018try playing with pace, for example 30 seconds a bit faster, then one minute easy.\u2019 <\/p>\n

\u2018Keeping your exercise varied will help to keep you engaged and build a long-lasting habit,\u2019 he adds.<\/p>\n

One myth about running and heart health Professor Augustine wishes more people understood? \u2018If it\u2019s not 30 minutes, it doesn\u2019t count,\u2019 he says. \u2018There is plenty of evidence to suggest that something is better than nothing for your cardiovascular health when it comes to running.\u2019<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re at the beginning of your exercise journey and have risk factors, for example, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes<\/a>, Professor Augustine suggests it might be wise to seek some additional medical advice before starting. \u2018If you are over 40 years old, then take advantage of the free heart health check available at your GP practice,\u2019 he adds. <\/p>\n

The bottom line <\/p>\n

The main takeaway here? Something is always better than nothing, particularly when busy schedules can mean we\u2019re often inclined to ditch a workout altogether.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s about building up fitness<\/a> and creating a habit, and working out how to adjust your day to include exercise,\u2019 says Professor Augustine.<\/p>\n

Related Stories\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Health and Fitness Writer for Women\u2019s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis. \u00a0She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner\u2019s World and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity. \u00a0A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She\u2019s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In recent years, amidst the latest running boom, it\u2019s become hard to scroll Instagram without seeing people \u2013…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":94951,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[2115,70384,2117,565,134,2116,111,139,69,70383],"class_list":{"0":"post-94950","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-content-type-news","9":"tag-contentid-3447ec88-bcd1-45a5-89e4-b2438fecdd43","10":"tag-displaytype-standard-article","11":"tag-fitness","12":"tag-health","13":"tag-locale-gb","14":"tag-new-zealand","15":"tag-newzealand","16":"tag-nz","17":"tag-shorttitle-the-surprising-science-behind-micro-runs"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=94950"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94950\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/94951"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}